


The Taste of Loss

by SunnyD_lite



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-31
Updated: 2010-03-31
Packaged: 2017-10-08 13:55:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/76319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunnyD_lite/pseuds/SunnyD_lite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five Times Dawn Thought about Ginger</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Taste of Loss

**Author's Note:**

> Set: pre-season, Season 5, Season 6, post tv show  
> TamingtheMuse Prompt: Gingery  
> Disclaimer: Don't own, no profit, no foul, right?  
> A/N: My muse wasn't amused by this prompt, so here's a series of drabbles

ONE

A python was swallowing her feet. She kicked and kicked but its weight held her until somehow she freed one foot, using her heel to beat its head.

"Hey, stop it!" Cool firm hands grabbed her foot, rubbing gentle circles on her ankle in contrast with the harsh tone.

"Mom?" Fishing weights were dragging her eyelids down and she didn't bother opening them. "Cold."

"Fever. Mom's working but she said you could have Sprite." The python turned into a blanket that was tucked around her, but with space at her feet.

"Gingery?"

"Gingerale, it is."

Must have been a dream.

TWO

"WHAT? You mean the Boxer Rebellion wasn't about underwear?"

"Come on 'Bit, I know you're smarter than that. Plus, you shouldn't be thinking about boys' smalls."

Her response to that glare was to try smothering her giggles. "Smalls? How Victorian!"

His expression waffled between embarrassment and pride, but settled on the easier emotion. Embarrassment sucked and Spike was too cool to ever be embarrassed.

"Knew you had more than two brain cells to rub together."

"Okay, serious question."

"Serious?" And there went the eyebrow.

"You've traveled. How do different people's blood taste?"

"Well, the Chinese tended to be gingery."

"Eewwe."

THREE

Willow tried, but the chocolate chip cookies stuck like grade-school paste in her mouth. It was Tara who drew her into the kitchen and quietly asked her for ingredients.

Together they mixed and baked. Besides instructions, Tara didn't force conversation and the routine helped a little. Dawn found herself volunteering things.

"We used to do this, Mom and I, when Buffy was at school. After Sesame Street, so they'd been warm for the afternoon snack. But I guess that never happened."

Tara just smiled her quiet smile and handed over a gingersnap. Its bite balanced the bitterness that filled her.

FOUR

Fine. It was wrong. But *achoo* isn't time served enough? Plus, when they do notice her, all she feels is everyone's disappointment. Even Buffy has that wrinkle between her eyebrows when she looks at her now.

Spike pulled her aside, one of the only times he's talked to her. Although he praised her skills, even Spike made her promise not to do it again.

Look, she's learned her lesson. But, surprise, Anya believes in vengeance, or what she calls reparations.

Which is why Dawn's stuck the Magic Box's dusty basement doing a complete inventory of everything including these gingery candles.

FIVE

She'd scored at the fruit-stand with bok choy for her stir fry. She really should get Buffy to help chop everything; it's not like she had mad Slayer knife skills.

The chicken had been marinating in a lime ginger sauce. The jasmine rice was bubbling away. Xander might bitch that Italy meant pizza, but this was her dinner party. Stir-frys she knows how to cook, and ginger just seemed right.

Dawn started setting the table, taking a deep breath as she skipped over places for Mom, for Tara, for Anya, for Spike. This was celebrating the family she still had.


End file.
